At Any Cost
by Moonlight Shining
Summary: From Franziska’s lust for victory to Adrian’s everlasting quest for truth… Both women are ready to go to any lengths to reach their goal. But will the prosecutor go as far as to sacrifice an innocent woman’s life?
1. First Confrontation

**-Prologue-**

March 21  
Gatewater Hotel

Hotel Lobby

"You young'uns are so disrespectful of your elders. Dragging me to the police precinct like I am some kind of criminal! Oh, how I wish my Edgey-poo was here. He, at least, knew how to handle a lady…"

Franziska smirked before stretching her whip. She usually refrained from hitting the children and the elderly, but just for this one time, she was ready to step away from her golden rule.

"… ever since I was a little girl in elementary school, everybody has treated me like dirt. The truth is I was too nice to all of them - Give me my blaster back! "

The security guard winced and let out a shocked cry when the blow landed on her wrist. She let go of her helmet as she clutched her hand.

She watched with wide eyes as Franziska calmly coiled back her whip before stepping closer to her.

"Don't forget. You're one of the decisive witnesses for tomorrow's trial."

Wendy Oldbag couldn't help but cringe.

"Just do as you were told, old woman. And trust me- Matt Engarde will find no escape from his guilt on my watch."

"W---whip-persnapper…."

"I'm afraid I can't hear you. Would you care to repeat that for me?"

"That's right. Now- I've wasted enough time due to your foolishness - Where is Mr. Engarde's manager?"

* * *

**-Chapter 1: First Confrontation-**

March 21  
Gatewater Hotel  
Engarde's Hotel Room

Adrian Andrews was curled up on the sofa, with her arms around her knees and her head buried in her lap.

After Matt's lawyer and his kid assistant had left, she had felt the tiredness of her sleepless night catching up on her. She had eventually gotten home from the police station at 3 am, after having spent hours repeating the same story over and over again to a stupid-looking detective.

Still, the sunrise had found Adrian up as usual, and planning on performing her manager duties… to the man she had helped get arrested. Ultimately, those duties came down to nothing, for no one related to the case was to leave the Gatewater Hotel.

"Direct orders from the prosecutor's office, pal." The detective had explained, scratching the back of his head sheepishly.

Therefore, Adrian couldn't even visit Matt… Not that she intended to anyway. She was much too scared of what might happen if he ever discovered what she had done. In fact, she was much too scared of what would happen if anyone found out…

All she could do for now was pray and hope. Pray and hope that the police would be careless enough to overlook the possibility of a forgery. Pray and hope that they never followed the trail back to her, a woman with too good a reason to want Juan Corrida dead.

The clicking of the door opening had her look up nervously, much too nervously for someone whose conscience was clear.

A silver-haired woman was staring at her from over the doorstep, not embarrassed in the slightest. The girl looked younger than herself, barely out of adolescence; Still, there was something of the accomplished business woman about her.

As a professional manager, Adrian had an eye for people and she could tell, just by looking at her, that she was dealing with someone that was proud, sharp, and used to having things go her way. A closer look revealed the badge that shone on the woman's chest, as well as a … whip that hung from her belt.

Adrian's gaze flew to her face, only to be ensnared by a pair of icy gray eyes, now firmly fixed on her. The Nickel Samurai's manager had already been warned that the investigation would last the whole day before Matt's trial. However, she didn't expect those investigators to be so… intrusively inquisitive.

Clearing her throat haughtily, Adrian mustered her most confident tone to confront the intruder.

"What can I do to help you?"

"I'm looking for Adrian Andrews." The cold-looking woman announced, looking utterly unimpressed.

"I am Adrian Andrews."

"Ms. Adrian Andrews, I am Franziska von Karma, the leading prosecutor for the murder of Mr. Juan Corrida."

As soon as she had clarified her identity, von Karma's gloved fingers closed around her prosecutor's badge, which she slipped into a pocket of her coat.

"Nice to meet you, Prosecutor von Karma."

She extended her hand politely but the woman blatantly ignored her, merely looking around the bedroom.

"As I'm sure you must have figured out, I'm here to ask you about the night Mr. Juan Corrida died. I learnt from the investigation team that you're the one who discovered the body."

"I've already been interrogated on the matter by the police yesterday-"

"I am aware of that." Franziska interrupted briskly. "As it turned out, your testimony proved to be of the utmost importance. And, when it comes to major witnesses, I trust no one but myself."

* * *

With Franziska von Karma comfortably settled in a soft armchair, Adrian Andrews prepared to feed the unsuspecting prosecutor a steady stream of lies.

She did her best not to squirm under the steely gaze as she admitted to having disturbed the crime scene by pouring herself a glass of juice, all while conveniently neglecting to mention the broken flower vase.

The young prosecutor, however, seemed thoroughly unmoved. She listened to her in silence, only interrupting from time to time to ask for the manager to elaborate on some part of her statement.

It didn't take long for Adrian Andrews to understand that she was walking a tightrope. Each and every of von Karma's question hit home, unveiling shadowy points in her testimony, and forcing new lies out of her. At this rate, it was only a matter of time before she contradicted herself. Her mouth got drier by the minute.

Naturally, she did a pretty good job of hiding her nervousness. This wasn't the first time she found herself in a hot spot, and like they say, practice makes perfect.

But, no matter what she did, she couldn't shake the feeling that she had landed herself in a fine mess…

At last, after what felt like hours, Franziska von Karma got up. Against all odds, Adrian had managed to wriggle her way out of her clutches, and she could still hardly believe her luck as she walked the prosecutor back to the door.

"That'll be all for now. Thank you for your time, Ms. Andrews. I'll have one of my men hand you your subpoena by the end of today."

As soon as she had turned her back to her, Adrian wiped her clammy palms on her trousers.

Franziska was on her way out when she suddenly froze, her hand resting on the door knob. Slowly, she twisted back around to face the other woman.

Her brow was slightly furrowed and her eyes were narrowed in a way Adrian had never quite seen before. She soon understood that what showed through the mask that was normally the prosecutor's face was nothing else than newfound suspicion.

"There is that one last question I want to ask you."

In the blink of an eye, von Karma was back to her intimidating self. The ruthless attorney returned and, with her, the looming threat of prosecution.

"And what would that be, Ms. von Karma?"

Franziska took the time to close the door before speaking, a smirk playing at the corner of her mouth.

"Please, take a seat. We aren't done yet." She said.

Adrian felt the stab of cold panic worm its way into the pit of her stomach. She found her way back to the closest chair, thousands of questions going through her mind.

"You've been regrettably vague on the topic of your exact location during the break that followed the award ceremony. Where were you before you discovered the victim's lifeless body?" The still-standing prosecutor asked.

Her heart skipped a beat.

"Haven't we been talking about this for the last forty minutes?"

She made her voice sound bright and arrogant, but even as she talked, she knew that her worst case scenario had become reality.

Up until now, the tricky issue of her whereabouts had been merely dealt with. Franziska's haste to get to the crucial part of her tale- in other words, the discovery of Juan's body- had prompted her to let the matter slip by without a second thought.

Adrian was well aware that, were they to dive in the depths of her flawed story, her fabricated alibi would shatter into a thousand of pieces. It would then be a matter of time for Prosecutor von Karma to put the pieces of the puzzle back together… and finger her as the new main suspect-

"I have no intention of justifying myself to you, Ms. Adrian Andrews. I suggest you stop wasting both of our times and answer the question."

Despite the precariousness of her situation, the manager pulled herself together, as best as she could. Letting her brains and smugness take over, she let out a falsely exasperated sigh.

"I've already told you a number of times- I remained in the hotel lobby. I was helping with the preparations for the post-ceremony show."

"Did you stay there the whole time?"

The question sounded awkward. Even and composed, as coolly polite as Adrian's had been heated, von Karma's speech revealed nothing of her intentions.

The question would have had all the looks of a perfectly harmless one, hadn't it been for the tiniest hint of mockery in her voice.

The trap was slowly closing in on Adrian Andrews.

Desperate for a mean to avoid the upcoming disaster, she had no choice but to add yet another untruth to the ever-growing pile.

If only she could bluff her way out of this…

"… Yes."

As soon as the word was uttered, she regretted it. But it hung in the air above them, sounding exactly like the lie it was.

A stony silence fell upon the room. The prosecutor was frozen, her features lifeless as those of a statue, yet her eyes had hardened into a glare, faithful reflection of what was on her calculating mind – _Nice try. Better luck next time._

"That's… intriguing." She mused. The stark contrast between her light tone and the coldness of her gaze was chilling Adrian's blood.

"You know." She resumed pleasantly. "I had a little talk with Mr. Will Powers earlier. He did very well at burdening me with foolishly useless details… But, thinking back on this right now, I think he may just have said something crucial..."

Adrian's eyes broadened ever so slightly, and though it was the smallest and quickest of motions, she knew better than to think it had escaped her accuser's notice.

"Would you like to hear about it?" The German woman suggested obligingly, then laughed softly.

"Silence implies consent, I suppose. Given that it concerns you directly, I'll do you a favor and let you in on it. _He confessed to having seen you cross Viola Hall toward the hallway, right at the estimated time of the murder._"

Upon hearing this, she opened her mouth to try and object, but her protest was swiftly nipped in the bud, seemingly effortlessly.

"Don't even think about denying it. The assistants that helped putting up the stage corroborated his words …"

Speechless and vulnerable, all she could do was stare as von Karma took several steps closer, invading her space deliberately.

It almost didn't surprise her when Franziska abruptly dropped all pretense at courtesy. Her gloved hand tightened around the whip at her belt, her gaze boring into her like a dagger.

"I know you're lying." She hissed. "You were loitering around the crime scene yesterday night… far before you even thought about calling the police."

"I was only passing by-"

Blood was pounding Adrian's temples, making coherent thinking an unachievable task.

"To go where? That corridor is a dead end. There are only two places where you would go, and that would be either the defendant's or the victim's suite."

Slender fingers balled into fists, nails digging into her palms hard enough to draw blood.

"I needed…to use the bathroom… at the end of the hallway."

"Why would you, pray tell, bother to use a public bathroom when you dispose of a private one? Besides, I can hardly believe you were in there for a whole half-hour. "

The prosecutor let out a soft sigh as she came and stood behind Adrian, looming over her so that the blond manager had to shift in her seat to face her. Her gloved hand came to rest on the woman's shoulder and she gave it a gentle squeeze.

"Ms. Adrian Andrews, there is no sense denying the obvious truth…" She reasoned softly. "You are withholding information regarding Mr. Corrida's death, aren't you?"

_Confess now- And I'll leave you be, _the silver eyes coaxed. _You can bring this to a speedy end, if you just say the word._

The unfortunate woman was given a way out… in accepting the one-way ticket to jail her persecutor gracefully offered.

If she remained silent now, it would be the same as confessing…

"N-No."She finally choked out. "You are wrong."

A glint of angry disappointment flashed through the cunning eyes.

"I am… Am I?"

Wholly undismayed, Franziska von Karma switched back to her previous strategy of intimidation. No falsely comforting hand lingered on Adrian's arm anymore, as she continued with what was- according to the manager- all but psychological harassment.

"According to the autopsy report, the estimated time of death is 8:00 PM. Coincidentally, it was around that time you chose to have your little stroll…

I don't believe for a second that you were off for using a bathroom!"

"I didn't kill him!"

She was on her feet before thinking, her eyes wide and her body trembling with pent-up fear.

"There, there. No one went and accuse you of something like that. All evidence clearly points to Mr. Engarde. Now, would you answer the question- Where were you at the time of the murder?"

"I… I…"

"Why would you lie about it?"

* * *

Pressing Adrian Andrews for an answer hadn't gotten Franziska anywhere.

The more pressure she had put on the blond manager, the more frightened she had grown, up to the point where discussion had become impossible. And obviously, von Karma's subtle insinuations that she could arrest Andrews for obstruction of justice had only succeeded in making things worse.

The manager had now retreated into a stubborn refusal to cooperate, insisting that she had told the prosecutor about everything she knew. Even though she hadn't suspected her in the first place, Andrews's behavior had turned out to be so suspicious that Franziska had seriously considered having her arrested on the spot. The watertight evidence against Engarde was the only thing that kept the woman away from police custody… for the time being.

In the mean time, Franziska had decided to get to the bottom of whatever secret the manager was so desperately hiding. If there was something her encounters with Phoenix Wright had taught her, it was that nothing should be left to chance.

There would be no Mimi Miney this time, no Acro to crush her plan and steal the victory that was hers by right. It would take what it would take, but she was determined that this was a battle she would win.

By the end of the day, Adrian Andrews would have no secrets from Franziska von Karma.


	2. Adrian's Secret

**-Chapter 2: Adrian's Secret- **

March 21

Police Station

Criminal Affairs Dept.

Franziska von Karma stormed out of the conference room, her heels clicking on the tiled floor, the detective following her like an obedient dog.

The investigation briefing had been positively trying.

The prosecutor had been served with the last findings regarding the crime scene, along with the final results of the forensic expertise of the corpse. The evidence and testimony were airtight and this would have been labeled an open-and-shut case hadn't it been for the strange atmosphere surrounding the whole matter.

A few investigators, including Detective Gumshoe, had brought up the sensitive topic of the unusual amount of evidence that was found. The words _set-up _and _falsified evidence _had been spoken and it had taken all of Franziska's powers of persuasion to restore order.

"_Unless you can offer decisive proof of this assertion, as well as the identity of the supposed offender, the validity of this evidence can't be contested."_

She had vetoed any further exploration of this theory lest it damage the prosecution's case and the issue had subsequently been dropped.

Her mind was lost in a haze of evidence-supported logic and pure speculations, from which she only emerged to glower at her unreliable subordinate. As if her day hadn't been bad enough, she had once again caught him leaking information to the enemy. Quite unfortunately, the well-deserved punishment she had inflicted him hadn't been nearly enough to assuage the anger that plagued her.

She entertained the idea that, hadn't it been for the man's ineptitude, she would have come out victorious of both the Fey and the Galactica trials. Not only did it keep her wounded pride going, it also served to feed her resentment toward the detective.

And now, there he was, standing before her with that ever-present look of misery on his badly shaven face.

"That was your final warning. Do not try me, because I'll make sure you never get your paws on that shabby badge of yours again. Or any other, for that matter. Understand? "

He let out a distraught whimper. She might have taken pity on him… under other circumstances. Right now, he was just another fool to bring to heel.

"Sit, Scruffy. You will do some research for me. I want you to report to me with a complete background of this Adrian Andrews. Police records. Family and acquaintances. Medical, mental health and employment records. Anything you find may be of some use. "

"Yes, sir."

"Oh, and you also ought to look into her relationship with the victim."

He began to rummage through the mess that cluttered his desk and she suddenly felt like losing her temper.

"Get on with it, already!" She snapped. "Try and make me forget about you being such a useless, good-for-nothing excuse for a detective."

Her whip whistled through the air, hitting the table with a loud crack and making him cower in fear.

"I give you ten minutes."

* * *

Franziska had gone through the data with a fine-tooth comb, collecting facts and rumors alike, putting information together to sift out the truth from the lies.

Pieces of the puzzle were falling neatly into place and she had achieved a fairly good understanding of the events at stake.

Celeste Inpax… Matt Engarde… Juan Corrida… A missing suicide note… Co-dependency… All and each of them were part of a much larger picture.

… A nonexistent alibi… and what was undeniably a _forgery_…

By now, it had become crystal clear to the young attorney that Adrian Andrews' role in the murder had been far more than that of a mere witness.

"Looks like we found our forger…" She muttered, more to herself than to anyone else.

Of course, along with those answers had come another question. Not only did Adrian's history give her an excellent reason for framing Matt Engarde, it also provided her with a motive for murder, in the person of Celeste Inpax.

Fortunately for Andrews though, the possibility of her culpability was soon ruled out by Franziska- The eye-witness, a grouchy old woman with a bad case of excessive talkativeness, had been adamant that she had seen Matt Engarde exiting the victim's room.

Franziska gritted her teeth. That foolish woman… Had she even thought about the consequences of her actions?

Should such information fall into Phoenix Wright's claws, the trial would take a turn for the worse for the prosecution… and Adrian Andrews. The uncouth lawyer would be desperate to get his famous client off the hook. Resorting to his usual tricks, he would do anything in his power to pin the blame on someone else, and Adrian Andrews, with such a breach in her defenses, would practically be asking for him to indict her in both the forgery and the murder.

If Mr. Phoenix Wright managed to cast doubt upon the evidence's legality, he would deal a serious blow to the prosecution's case. She would be forced to rely on testimony alone to establish the defendant's guilt. In other words, it would come down to placing the outcome of a trial in the hands of an old security lady, whose account was as questionable as her manners…

That just wouldn't do. Franziska had to make sure that Andrews' lips would remain sealed, no matter the turn of events in the courtroom the next day.

Out of the corner of her eye, the sullen prosecutor caught a glimpse of movement nearby… and gave a frustrated growl- Spiky hair, a cheap blue suit and a total lack of style whatsoever. It was the man himself.

And he was currently in the middle of a whispered huddle with…

"Scruffy!"

* * *

March 21  
Gatewater Hotel

Hallway

Even as she walked through the deserted corridors, all by her lonesome self, Franziska refused to let herself be swayed by petty emotions. She was still badly shaken-up over her adopted brother's sudden reappearance but she was Franziska von Karma. And as a von Karma, a prodigy, a girl from whom no less than perfection was expected, she simply couldn't afford to fall apart.

There was no place for feelings in the von Karma's household and hearts… and Miles, well, he was just like them.

She hadn't cried in front of him, she never would. Salt had stung her eyes but she had fought back with all of her willpower. She had long since forbidden herself from shedding tears in his presence.

She had been fine until twenty-five minutes later, when she had to walk past him on her way to the parking lot. He was still engrossed in a conversation with Wright and the little girl. Miles Edgeworth was reunited with the man she thought was as much of a danger to him as to herself, and there was no room for her, his would-be sister.

Her hand trembled slightly as she opened the door, but she shook the weakness off. Nothing would stop her from reaching her goal. She would show him, she would show the entire world that she was stronger than that.

By the time she entered the room, she had gathered enough anger to go through with it.

* * *

March 21

Gatewater Hotel

Engarde's Hotel Room

Adrian was looking out the window when Franziska von Karma burst into the room, as unexpectedly as the first time.

She had briefly considered making a run for it but had quickly discarded the idea when she found out that von Karma had the whole facility surrounded. Only authorized people were allowed to come and go freely between the hotel and the outer world.

Even though Adrian had noticed that this strange-looking self-proclaimed photographer with frizzy red hair was still loitering in the hallways, she was pretty sure that she wouldn't benefit of the same lax treatment from the cops that were guarding the exits. They undoubtedly knew who she was, and she trusted Franziska von Karma to make sure that, according to her own words, "she wouldn't set foot outside the Gatewater Hotel".

She sighed. She wouldn't have gone too far anyway, for she had no safe hiding place.

Nevertheless, she couldn't help but try and estimate the distance that separated her from the street below. If too high to allow some dramatic last-minute escape, maybe the two-floor fall would be enough to end it all…

"Ms. Adrian Andrews." The icy voice said, and she finally turned around to face her tormentor. The woman's eyes weren't gray, as she had previously thought, but of a peculiar shade of blue, midway between turquoise and silver.

Actually, it was the only thing Adrian Andrews got to see before the whip hit her, grazing her flesh and wrapping tightly around her wrist. She let out a cry of pain.

"What on earth…?"

"I know what you did." Franziska announced with no preamble.

There was a lengthy pause. Slowly, Adrian's face drained of all color. So… she knew. She faintly wondered what betrayed her- probably those incriminating reports she wished would have remained buried forever.

"Actually it was quite simple to figure out. All this _heaven-sent_ evidence…"

"What about it?" She interrupted, talking with the newfound arrogance that comes with having nothing to lose.

"It was you all along. You're the one who planted the bloody button in Matt Engarde's costume, not to mention that knife, covered in his fingerprints."

"I don't know what you're talking about-"She recklessly denied, but this only served to add fuel to the flame of von Karma's anger.

"Don't take me for a fool, Adrian Andrews." She snarled. "What were you thinking, tampering with evidence? You foolish fool… If I weren't so convinced of his guilt myself- Forging evidence is a felony!"

She lied once more, provoking the prosecutor further. Desperation blinded her to all and every consequences. She was playing with fire, and in this knowledge lay a sick pleasure. She would get burned before long.

* * *

It was only a matter of time for von Karma to break her. As unsettling and daunting as they were for people who didn't know her, Adrian's bursts of boldness were always temporary, and this one was no exception.

_You know it is pointless to resist. You don't have it in you… Why don't you confess, now? You'll spare yourself a lot of suffering… We already know everything about what you did._

Her resolve flickered like the flame of a candle in a sudden breeze.

_Confess, now… You're too weak…_

That woman would stop at nothing, she understood painfully. She played with the darkest corners of her mind, reviving the old demons from her past and dragging them into harsh light. It was a disgusting act whose only purpose was to hurt and humiliate her.

_You just don't have it in you…_

_You are so weak, Adrian._

She could hear Matt's voice in her head, chanting those same words over and over again. The words the monster uttered, out of that woman's mouth…

Her vision blurred with tears. She didn't hear the whistle of leather over the rush of blood in her ears. All she could do was moan as the whip began its implacable dance of suffering, waving in time with her persecutor's razor-sharp words and taunts. Lash after lash rained over her, bruising delicate skin and leaving trails of red-hot pain in their leave.

Ultimately, the mixture of mental torture and exquisite agony got the better of her. She began to cry helplessly, giving way to the pathetic being she was deep inside, the one that would have done anything for the abuse to stop. She confessed to her wrongdoing and suddenly, they were gone- the burn from the whiplashes and the relentless threats. Von Karma was moving away from her, and she slumped to the floor, her back to the wall as she clutched her wounded self.

They remained like that for countless time, her frantic sobbing and hiccups the only noise that broke the silence. Then her sobs became less frequent and, gradually, she came back to her senses. Franziska turned back toward her, her face devoid of the look that had her so scared a few minutes ago.

"Did you have the faintest idea of what you were doing? Those little trickeries of yours can cost you dearly. "

Strangely, there was no animosity in her voice- Just genuine curiosity and… what almost sounded like pity. But Adrian had only one thought in mind at the moment.

"You don't think I was the one who did it…?" She asked ingenuously.

"Murder Mr. Juan Corrida? Obviously not. I don't conceive a woman such as you to be capable of taking someone else's life, Adrian Andrews. You did make a mistake, and a nasty one, at that…"

Incredulity and relief whirled around inside of her.

"… Still, you had a reason for doing so, which whilst not making your actions less reprehensible in the eyes of the law, at least makes them understandable."

She sniffled.

"You know about Celeste?"

Von Karma nodded, and in spite of the sheer mortification, Adrian thought she could see a glimmer of hope. She had nothing to hide now. If only she could win the formidable prosecutor over, then there would be no way for Matt to escape the death penalty or a life sentence, at the least.

"Then, you know why Matt Engarde must absolutely be stopped. That man is evil. Both he and Juan ruined her life… They might as well have killed her. And now, this… I… He must pay for his crimes."

"Well, I can only agree with you on that. Mr. Matt Engarde is a criminal. As a prosecutor, it is my duty to ensure that no criminal escapes punishment. However… your _tampering _with evidence also makes you one of them, Adrian Andrews!"

Dread dawned upon her as well as realization- she was far from safe. Franziska von Karma didn't believe her to be a murderer, but that wouldn't keep her from exposing her lies for what they were, thereby ruining both her plan and her fragile freedom.

She felt fresh tears well in her eyes which she wiped with the back of her hand.

"You just don't need to say anything." She pleaded in a small voice.

Her only sign of acknowledgment was an arched eyebrow.

In a rush of bravery that amazed even herself, she reached out and touched Franziska's hand. The prosecutor flinched, as if she had struck her. Shock flashed through her blue eyes, immediately followed by instinctive anger. Her grip on the whip-handle tightened briefly before loosening…. It lasted less than a second, but it was enough for Adrian Andrews to notice. Was this excessive reaction a display of… vulnerability?

"Ms. von Karma, I beg of you-" She said softly. "Don't say anything. All I did… could be of help to you."

All a sudden, Franziska's attitude changed radically. She smiled and her face was like the sky after a storm… She sank to her knees in front of Adrian, who suddenly found herself unable to look straight at the woman who had hurt her so much.

It wasn't without surprise that, seconds later, she felt something soft on her face- Von Karma had taken off her gloves and was stroking loose strands of golden hair from her eyes, a small gesture that shattered the last of Adrian's resistance.

She sensed Franziska draw her close, arms wrapping around her in a protective embrace. She hugged back, instinctively, hugged so hard, for all the nights she had been crying over Celeste's death. She buried her face in Franziska's shoulder, clinging to her like she was life itself. The woman was soft, warm and very much real, unlike the ghost that haunted her dreams.

"Don't worry, Adrian… I won't let any harm come to you."

It was over too soon. The feather-light touch of fingertips against her cheek, then Franziska pulled back and got to her feet. She accepted the prosecutor's outstretched hand, ignoring the feeling of loss that rooted itself in the pit of her stomach.

"I suggest you go and freshen up a bit. You look like a mess." She calmly advised and Adrian hurried to do as she was told.

* * *

By the time she went out of the bathroom, von Karma was seated on the couch. She patted the space next to her and Adrian sat down docilely. She had long since lost the power- or maybe the will- to stand up to the young prosecutor.

"Are you feeling better?" The woman asked, and handed her a glass of cool water. Franziska's bare fingers brushed hers as the glass passed from her hold to hers. She shivered. It wasn't cold.

"I'm fine." She said.

"Good, because there are some important things we need to discuss, mainly regarding your testimony at the trial tomorrow…"


	3. Sweet Sweet Triumph

_A.N: To my dearest readers/reviewers- I must apologize for the long wait. In addition to being a slow writer, I also lack of time for my fanfictions. Anyway, here's a new chapter, I hope you'll enjoy it. I've decided to diverge from the game's storyline to enter the great world of unknown! Slight AU. Don't be scared!_

**

* * *

**

**-Chapter 3: Sweet Sweet Triumph-**

March 22

District Court

Main Entrance

"Franziska! Don't walk away from me."

Turning her back to him, she conspicuously hastened her pace. She had no intention whatsoever of stopping and listening to his ridiculous rambling on 'teamwork' and 'finding the truth'.

"I don't take advice from failures, or cowards for that matter." She said haughtily, not bothering to look back at the man that followed her. She didn't care to know if she had hurt him, determined as she was to face her greatest rival. Now was not the time for foolish whining from her foolish little brother.

"Wait."

She had barely set foot on the first step when he caught up with her, grabbing hold of her arm with a familiarity that was unheard-of from Prosecutor Miles Edgeworth.

"You will win in the end, of that there is no doubt. But…"

"I already told you to leave me alone. Why don't you just-"

She saw the flicker of alarm in his gray eyes a second before he yelled.

"Get down!"

It all happened too fast. Miles roughly shoved her down and she fell to the floor, knocking her head in the process. He collapsed on top of her, heavy and panting. She pushed him back, rolling to her side and onto her knees.

"Are you insane?"She asked angrily.

She was dazed from the impact of her skull hitting the pavement, and it hurt like hell. It wasn't until she noticed the glazed look in his eyes that the haze of incomprehension suddenly vanished- Something terrible had just happened. Following his gaze, she looked down his body, looked at the hand that clutched his own chest and saw dark red, noticed how fast the blossoming rose of blood was spreading over.

Her scream of horror rang out simultaneously with those of passers-bys, a small crowd quickly gathering around the two prosecutors.

"Call 911!" Somebody yelled and, like in a nightmare, she had to watch Miles being taken away from her on a stretcher. Her first impulse was to run after them, to get in the ambulance with him. She wanted to make sure he was safe.

But then, she remembered the trial and that she couldn't afford to lose again. She couldn't fall apart now. Cold purpose in her heart, she knew there was no other way out. That was how she climbed up the steps to the doors of the courthouse, how she managed to ignore the blood that stained the stone… blood that could have been hers.

Shaking from head to toe, pale as a corpse, Franziska von Karma made her way toward the prosecutor's lobby, oblivious to the curious stares of the people she passed in the hallways.

* * *

March 22

District Court

Courtroom No. 3

"Court is now in session for the trial of Matt Engarde."

The judge's voice rang loud and clear over the crowd's excited murmurs, snapping her out of the trance she had fallen in.

"Are the prosecution and defense ready?"

Franziska hadn't given the case file the usual last minute read, she hadn't checked the order in which she would call her witnesses, she hadn't even granted a distressed Adrian Andrews the final words of comfort she would have required.

"The defense is ready, Your Honor."

"Ms. von Karma, your opening statement, please."

She suddenly found herself under the spotlight, hundreds of eyes staring in awe and curiosity, waiting for the traditional prosecutor's rant.

"T-There is no questioning the guilt of Matt Engarde. The prosecution will prove beyond the shadow of a doubt that he committed this dreadful murder. Not only do we have a witness who saw the defendant flee the scene of his criminal act, but we can also provide the court with decisive evidence!"

"Most interesting.

"I shall now call Detective Dick Gumshoe to the stand."

* * *

"A murder weapon with fingerprints, and a button from the victim's costume. There is quite a sizable amount of evidence here."

Franziska dropped a little curtsey, but even as she knew she had already won, she found herself incapable of forming a genuine smile.

Her head had begun to pound mercilessly and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't shake off the bloody images that plagued her mind. That bullet she hadn't seen coming… She wished she could have done something to prevent that from happening. To protect him. It was what one was supposed to do. Protect their loved ones. But she couldn't have done it… And now, he was… Oh.

She had to muster every ounce of a lifelong-built concentration to put her mind back on the proceedings at stake.

"As I predicted, the evidence is decisive." She replied curtly. "All is said and done, Your Honor. All that's left is for you to pronounce your verdict!"

"I will now hand down my verd-"

"**Objection!** Wait, Your Honor!"

She was angry, she was worried to death and her head felt like it might split open at any second. Maybe that explained all too well why she still hadn't managed to nail this case shut… She reminded herself to breathe.

"What is it, Mr. Wright?"

The flabbergasted-looking judge was staring at the defense, his gavel hanging stupidly in middle air halfway down to his desk.

"There's…There's one piece of evidence that this court has yet to see. This is one important piece to the puzzle!"

Every possible piece of incontrovertible evidence against his client had been presented, each of his counter-arguments effortlessly ruled out by the prosecution, every advantage was long since in her hands, and yet that lawyer- that unskilled, insipid lawyer- still had the will to try and fight her.

However, nothing would change the fact that his struggle was a pure waste of time. He must enjoy prolonging the agony and von Karma would relish in putting him out of his misery. She laughed bitterly.

"You've amused me quite a lot, Mr. Phoenix Wright. However, I grow weary of those little pranks of yours. It's time for you to accept your defeat and save whatever little is left of your dignity."

She could feel the blood drumming in her ears, rushing in her veins with that deafening noise. It was getting harder and harder to bear with every minute…

"I am sorry, Mr. Wright." The judge announced solemnly. "But I do not feel this trial needs to continue at all. "

The old man had settled for what she viewed as the only conceivable outcome but the defense attorney seemed so sincerely shocked he nearly fell off his chair.

"Just please listen. I…"

She stared at him contemptuously, taking in his scrunched-up features and the small beads of perspiration on his brow- He was going from bad to worse.

"This glass… It was the only thing left untouched!"

She took a deep breath. Unexpectedly, the pain slowly receded to a dull ache in her temples, a vague feeling she chose to promptly dismiss as a product of her imagination.

"From what I can gather among your incoherent babbling, you must be referring to the wine glass that was found on top of the victim's dresser." She cut in coldly.

"Yes, I-"

The whip sliced through the air and struck him, eliciting a cry of pain from the man.

"I'm talking!"

She shifted in her seat to settle more comfortably, resting her chin on the back of her gloved hand. She purred her explanation like a satisfied cat, wagging her finger at him and smirking ostentatiously.

"My case is perfect. According to the forensic tests, the one and only set of fingerprints on this glass belongs to none other than the discoverer of the body, Ms. Adrian Andrews!"

"What!"

"Now, that should satisfy even you, Mr. Phoenix Wright."

He was at a complete loss for words- finally- and Franziska was relishing in the taste of her bittersweet victory. She had finally brought this trial to the end she strove for, and the undefeated Phoenix Wright was no more.

Unfortunately, her triumph was short-lived. The long-repressed pain suddenly exploded in a fiery wave through her stomach, bending her over the prosecutor's bench. Stars danced in front of her eyes and the courtroom began to spin madly.

_I believe…_

… _that the prosecution…_

…_has provided…_

…_enough evidence…_

She collapsed to her side, moaning as thousands of muscles in her body tensed to the point of agony. She was covered in a cold sweat, trembling, her ragged breathing coming in uneven gasps between two convulsions.

"Ms. von Karma? Ms. von Karma!"

Phoenix Wright's voice… What was he…?

* * *

March 22

District Court

Hallway

Adrian Andrews was on her way back from the bathroom when, at the bend of a corridor, she bumped into someone who was hurrying in the opposite direction.

"Would you watch where you are going?" She snapped before glaring at the inconsiderate person. But when her gaze met that of a devastated Phoenix Wright, her anger instantly vanished.

"Mr. Wright?"

"What have I done?" The defense attorney murmured without hearing her. He stormed into the defendant's lobby, nearly shoving her in the process.

She followed him with her eyes, filled with a premonition of disaster. What on earth had happened at this accursed trial that distressed him so much?

She then looked past the spot where he had stood a second ago, and she got her answer. Her blood froze to ice as the dreadful feeling of déjà-vu sank over her, the past crushing her heart in its merciless grip.

_Celeste…_

She was nothing like Celeste, that woman, that suddenly fragile-looking girl lying on a stretcher, unconscious, her skin as pale as wax. She could have been her, only no ugly marks adorned her beautiful neck…

She suddenly felt sick to her stomach and she had to fight the nausea that rose within her.

* * *

March 22

Hotti Clinic

She knew that the woman was in stable condition, completely out of danger even. But nothing more. The reason of her fainting in court was kept secret. According to the nurse at the reception, it fell under the strictest doctor-patient confidentiality.

She should have contented herself with whatever little she had been told, stop right there and go home, or rather go back to the hotel where she was being kept like a caged bird. That would have been the wise, reasonable thing to do.

But today of all day, Adrian Andrews was feeling neither wise nor reasonable. She wasn't the Adrian everyone knew, that cool and collected woman who never acted before thinking. That Adrian wouldn't have driven straight from the courtroom to the hospital. She wouldn't have pressed a poor nurse for every single scrap of information she could get. She certainly wouldn't have bought flowers for too high a price at a clinic's shop for a woman she barely knew.

It wasn't that Adrian either who had spoken, asking for the prosecutor's room number.

The nurse had cast her somewhat of an indignant look, explaining that 'Ms. von Karma was in no fit state to receive visitors, unless she was part of the family, perhaps?'

She had then slammed the patient's chart shut in a way that left no place for discussion. Luckily, that was not before the manager's clever eyes had had the time to decipher everything she may have wished for.

Of course, she would never have had such a ridiculous idea hadn't it been for the strange little man who had approached her as she left the clinic. He had introduced himself as a doctor and had said that he would be absolutely _delighted_ to help out such a 'cutie'.

She was not fond of the man's manner and she loathed condescending pet-names. Under no circumstances would she have stood for the way he sneakily tried to feel her up. But she wasn't herself today, and the Adrian who was in charge was grateful to him for having shown her in through the side door.

Up until now, luck had been on her side and had kept her from running into a member of the medical staff. Unfortunately, that was just about to change.

Maybe she shouldn't have considered it at all, she realized, as her goal came into sight- As was to be expected, there was a policeman stationed in front of the room.

No, actually. Upon closer examination- There was a most peculiar-looking policeman _dozing standing up_ in front of the room.

She cleared up her throat noisily.

"Good afternoon, Officer."

The cop straightened up brutally, apparently startled out of sleep. He was so shocked that he practically strangled himself with his own pair of handcuffs.

"Your name and the reason of your visit, please." He yelled in his megaphone.

He had gathered up his thoughts quicker that she would have given credit for.

"Adrian Andrews. I'm here to visit Franziska von Karma. And I can hear you just fine."

"Andrews… Andrews…"

His face contorted with the effort to try and remember something, before he suddenly waved his arms around, almost knocking Adrian's glasses off.

"I'm sorry! I'm sure that I think that I cannot let you in, madam!"

Though he had seemed like an impressionable person at first sight, it turned out that he was actually downright stubborn. She frowned, carefully beating a retreat away from the clumsy individual.

"Don't you think you've wasted enough of my time already?"

Just as the goofy policeman was about to reply, a tall, dark-haired man appeared at the other end of the corridor. She watched as he walked toward them, using a crutch for support. Next to her, the policeman was goggling.

The newcomer was wearing magenta pants and an unbuttoned white shirt that hung loosely on his shoulders, exposing most of his torso. However, there was little skin to be seen, for his chest was heavily bandaged.

He caught their blatant staring and scowled.

"I appreciate your concern, but luckily the bullet did nothing more than graze me."

His tone was dripping with sarcasm and it was obvious that he was in pain. Nevertheless, his voice remained deep and rich, full of a refinement that wasn't totally unknown to Adrian. Something in the way he carried himself, something in his behavior was very familiar to the blond woman…

She held her breath. However, he didn't grant her more attention than a polite greeting, turning to the policeman instead.

"Officer… Meekins, right? What are you doing here?"

"SIR! Mike Meekins reporting for duty, sir! That lady! I was told to keep every suspicious list from entering Ms. von Karma's name! Her room isn't on the name of authorized persons, sir! Even though I lost it, I'm sure of it, sir!"

The man suddenly looked as though he had swallowed something sour.

"You lost it!"

His eyes flashed dangerously and he seemed to be biting back a scathing remark. She saw the wrongdoer cower in fear.

"I'm so sorry, sir!" He answered in a small voice. "I promise I won't do it again. Just please don't fire me…"

But the dark-haired man was no longer listening. His eyes had travelled from Meekins to Adrian, his annoyance giving way to slight interest. He examined her as if he was gauging her then he simply said.

"Let her in, Officer. I'm vouching for this woman."


End file.
